Watchdog calls for ousted Solomons MPs to face charges
Quoting Radio New Zealand – 19 February 2020
“Transparency Solomon Islands is asking whether two former MPs who lost their seats for bribing voters should also face criminal charges.
“Election petitions brought against education minister Moffat Fugui and backbencher Jamie Vokia in civil proceedings in the High Court were upheld on Friday.
“Both men were found guilty of bribing voters before last April's election.
“Transparency chief executive Ruth Liloqula said the pair should also face criminal charges for their offences but it was not clear which authority was responsible for taking up their cases.
“"We really need to re-look at our electoral act and we really need to work at getting some things that would address the criminality of the acts that they have been found guilty of, or not guilty of, and who is the responsible authority to take up these cases on behalf of the state," Ms Liloqula said.
“The head of the Solomon Islands' Electoral Commission, Mose Saitala, said the country's new Independent Commission Against Corruption, which was still being established would be the obvious authority to take up these matters but in its absence he said it was up to the police to prosecute.”
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